Molecular diversity and phenotypic characterization of A, B and R lines in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]

An experiment was carried out with 17 CGMS lines and their maintainers along with 22 diversified restorer (R) lines to obtain information on molecular diversity and phenotypic characterization. All exhibited enormous phenotypic variability. Anthocynin pigmentation on hypocotyls was present in 50 genotypes and it was absent in six genotypes viz., ICPA 2043, ICPB 2043, GT 307A, GT 307B, RAJA & BSMR 736. Determinate type of growth habit was found in three genotypes viz., ICPA 2078, ICPB 2078 & GC 11–39. A total of 30 SSR markers were used across 56 genotypes. The polymorphic markers amplified a total of 76 alleles with an average of 2.93 alleles per markers and number of alleles ranged from 2 to 4 per marker. Major allele frequency ranged from 0.34 (CcM0057) to 0.79 (CcM0402) with an average of 0.47 per marker. Molecular diversity among 17 male sterile (A) lines and their maintainer (B) lines yielded three main clusters. All the ‘A’ and ‘B’ lines found isogenic, as indicated by close clusters, except for the genotypes GRGA/B 2, GRGA/B 4, GRGA/B 6 and GT 307A/B. Hence more number of back crosses are needed to make them as isonuclear lines.